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Seraphina nodded, and he saw her eyes grow glassy.

“My parents and Lord Repington plan on announcing our engagement tomorrow morning after breakfast. I am to be wed to the Earl by the end of the summer.”

It was clear that she was trying to state the news with detachment, but he heard the way her voice hitched with pain; saw the devastation through the cracks of her mask, and his anger twisted into rage.

“Seraphina, you cannot give up,” he insisted, gripping her by the shoulders, “You do not want this, I can see it on your face!”

“It clearly does not matter what I want!” She shot back, her voice reaching a loud shrill as she stepped closer to him. “Can you notsee that? It was never my choice! I am simply being used as a bandage to cover my parents’ mistake. To cover myself!”

“You do not have to pay for their sins, Seraphina,” Hugo insisted, “You can say no! I cannot offer you love, I know, but I can give you greater comfort than Martin can.”

He then captured her chin and forced her eyes up to his.

“And don’t youdareever say you are a mistake again, or I swear even if you are married to someone else, I will spank you until you wear my handprint as a brand for eternity,” he warned. “You are not a mistake and youareyou own person, Seraphina,” he went on, “Fight this! For no one other than yourself!”

Hugo’s lust and anger culminated into a sweeping force as he felt Seraphina tremble in his arms, and before he could make himself stop, he drew her into a passionate kiss. Pleasure and relief tunneled through him as he felt her immediately grow limp in his arms; felt her arms circle tightly around his neck.

Tears sprang from Seraphina’s eyes as she became lost in Hugo’s demanding kiss. She felt shame. Shame for letting him think he was being used. Shame for going back to his room, even though she shouldn’t. But more than that she felt the relief his touch brought her as she swam through her sea of misery. She knew she shouldn’t have come, it was selfish. But she could not let him find out about her engagement with the others. He deserved more than that.

As their kiss deepened, so did her relief. Relief that he was angry and not nonchalant. Relief that he wanted her to fight. And when he threatened to spank her, she felt a fire consume her entire body, burning her from the inside out. She had not expected that she would get to kiss him ever again, but now that she was in his grasp, she was determined to not let it stop.

Desperately, she pulled her arms around his neck tighter and licked at his lips until he allowed her entrance. Instead of feeling his own dance within her mouth, this time it wasshethat tastedhim;making a blueprint with her tongue to memorize the way he tasted and felt.

“Oh my goodness.” An unfamiliar voice filled the room, sending a chill throughout Seraphina’s body as she and Hugo both froze.

“I am so sorry, I-”

“Oh, ho! What is this!” Another voice chimed in, this one masculine and deeply slurred.

With equal surprise, Seraphina and Hugo tore away from one another, and utter horror filled her as she saw not just a maid, but three party guests staring at them with wide shocked eyes.

“Looks like she takes after her mother after all,” someone remarked as more people arrived at the door.

“Not quite so,” another answered, “This Duke is unmarried at least.”

“Oh no,” Seraphina breathed, a strange numbness overtaking her as her body grew rigid.

Hugo, however, did not show such shock, but instead stormed to the maid and demanded to know what the hell she was thinking.

“I am sorry, Your Grace,” the maid stammered, her entire face turning as red as a cherry, “I thought everyone was still out here. I was coming in to turn down the bed!”

“Do you have any idea what you have just done?” He seethed, “What you have caused for this poor lady?”

“Careful,” one of the men insisted, sounding terrified, “Don’t make him angry.”

Seraphina stood still, too shocked to move as more people gathered and argued with Hugo. It was not until she saw her mother’s face appear in the fray that she finally snapped back to life.

“Mama,” she breathed, seeing the pure fury written across her face as she pushed her way into the room.

“What have you done?” Mary seethed, snatching Seraphina’s wrist to the point of pain.

“Mama, please, let me explain, I-”

“You will not say another word,” Mary warned, starting to pull her through the growing crowd. “Not until we are outside and away from this.”

“Out of our way!” Mary bellowed as she dragged Seraphina down the stairs.

“Quite the mothering instinct you have, Ms. Kinderson,” someone shot back.